SAM MAXWELL will hope to break his duck in World Series of Boxing tonight as the British Lionhearts edge closer to qualification for the next stage of competition.

The Salisbury ABC boxer heads to York Hall, Bethnal Green this evening for the latest match in the hybrid boxing venture where the Lionhearts take on Astana Arlans from Kazakhstan.

Maxwell goes toe-to-toe over five rounds with Yerzhan Mussafirov in the lightweight (61kg) division in East London this evening, his third bout of the WSB season, and knowing his first win of the competition can help his team to the victory they need to book a place in the knockout stages.

In his previous two contests, fortune has not favoured former ABA champion Maxwell after a contentious points loss against David Joyce was followed up a meeting with the most revered amateur on the planet – Ukraine’s Vasyl Lomachenko.

Though Maxwell lost a unanimous decision to Lomachenko, he acquitted himself well and emerged with credit for 15 minutes of action with the double Olympic champion.